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Andrea La Valleur-Purvis is a British-American sculptor and designer whose work explores human connection, belonging and resilience. Her sculptural works scales from pedestal to beyond life-size, embraces a play of abstract patterns, geometric and architectural forms.
For years, design and sculpture, distinct yet interconnected threads, have woven a narrative through my work. Both disciplines embrace play and experimentation with geometric and architectural motifs while exploring themes of interconnection.
After 25 years across diverse creative landscapes, my studio practice now fuses design principles with metal and modern fabrication techniques.
I’ve long admired the Bauhaus approach to design coupled with the incredible work by master artists actively working in the postmodern 1950’s and 60’s. Alexander Calder, Tony Smith, Isamu Noguchi, Louise Nevelson, and Niki de Saint Phalle are just a few who’s lives and studio practice influence my own.
My experiences living in the UK and Germany in a British-American household, have deeply influenced my artistic style. My first art show in 1981 was held at Mathildenhöhe in Darmstadt, now a unesco site, was a center for emerging reform movements in architecture, arts and crafts. This multicultural background has given me a unique perspective that I bring to my work.
Steel, with its transformative potential, serves as my primary medium.
“My work celebrates the resilience of the human spirit. By shaping seemingly unyielding materials, I explore how we can create beauty and meaning through our connections with others and our ability to adapt and grow.”
Through each unique sculpture, I aspire to ignite viewer curiosity and forge a connection between the artwork and the individual.
With a formal education in Sculpture, Andrea La Valleur-Purvis holds a BFA in Sculpture from the College of Visual Arts (St. Paul, MN, USA), a post graduate in Innovation and Design Thinking from MIT, Tuck and Columbia Universities (Emeritus) and a number of certificates from IDEO and Sotheby’s Institute of Art.
Her studio practice has been inspired by working artists and teachers who have invested their talent and time to building artists of the future, including Karen Wirth (McKnight Fellow, MCAD, CVA), Sculptor Kurt Dyrhaug (Professor and Distinguished Faculty Research Fellow Lamar University) and under current mentorship by John Nickell, Master Metalsmith and architectural metal fabricator among others.
La Valleur-Purvis’ work is deeply informed by her multicultural upbringing in the UK and Germany by British and American parents. In adulthood, she has lived in the USA and Spain as well as traveled the world for one year across 15 countries (2015).
Before returning to her passion of making contemporary art, La Valleur-Purvis held creative roles for visionary tech brands for nearly two decades. In 2023, La Valleur-Purvis released her first series of public art installations for the City of Waco, Texas.
La Valleur-Purvis divides her time between making art, her podcast Art Biz Talk and teaching other visual artists about art business.
She lives and works from her studio in Waco, Texas.
Texas Society of Sculptors
Visual Arts Association (VAA) (UK)
CodaWorx (USA)
Women & Their Work (Austin)
Tableau by Visionary Projects (NYC/Global)
City of San Antonio’s Prequalified Artist List
Group Exhibitions
2024 – “Austin Studio Tour”, Windsor Library, Austin, TX (forthcoming)
2024 – “Small Works”, Art Center Waco, TX
2024 – “Museum Day”, Umlauf Sculpture Garden & Museum, Austin, TX (forthcoming)
2024 – Eclipse Shining Shadows, Art Center Waco, Waco, TX
2000 – ”Foot in the Door”, Minneapolis Institute of Art, Minneapolis, MN
1999 – “Senior Show”, Western Gallery, CVA, St.Paul, MN
Public Art
2024 – 2025 Georgetown Public Sculpture Tour, 1st prize award, Sheraton Hotel and Convention Center, Georgetown, TX
2023 – “Luminary Spirit”, Waco, TX
Commissions
2023-24 – Donor Wall, Startup Waco, Waco, TX
2022 – Entrepreneur Spotlight Display, Startup Waco, TX
2007 – Seattle Rachel The Pig Sculpture, Rent-a-Box HQ, Bellevue, WA
Georgetown Sculpture Tour 15 place winner | October, 2024 Article link
Andrea La Valleur-Purvis | Canvas Rebel | July, 2024 Article link
Meet Andrea La Valleur-Purvis | Bold Journey Magazine | February, 2024 Article link
Conversations with Andrea La Valleur-Purvis | VoyageAustin Magazine | February, 2024 Article link
Light and Shadow | Wacoan Magazine | November, 2023 | Editorial by Susan Bean Aycock Article link
Waco Tribune-Herald | September, 2023 Article link
Conversations with Creative Waco | NPR Radio, August, 2023 | Episode link
Waco Business News – Downtown Depot | NPR Radio, August, 2023| Episode link
Waco Tribune-Herald | May 16, 2023 Article link
Waco Tribune-Herald | May 9, 2023 Article link
Waco Tribune-Herald | February, 2023 Article link
